2020 Barolo Villero Luigi Einaudi

A juicy red, bursting with fresh cherry, strawberry and rose flavors. Picks up iron, tobacco and underbrush notes that add complexity, all while persisting on the finish. Shows fine balance and structure.

93P+: Just bottled, the 2020 Barolo Villero presents gorgeous spice, leather and savory notes. Fruit lies more in the background, as is often the case with wines from this cru. The 2020 shows good depth and plenty of persistence, both of which should help it develop nicely over the coming years. This has real grip, especially on the finish.

Camphor, violet and dark exotic spice aromas take shape on the 2020 Villero along with a whiff of hazelnut. Full-bodied and showing a weightless concentration, the palate offers ripe red cherry, crushed orange, licorice and tobacco alongside tightly woven, close-grained tannins that leave a firm finish.

This has a savory, red-fruited character with sour cherries, blood oranges, dark licorice, peach stones and crushed herbs. Medium- to full-bodied, firm and structured with taut but refined tannins that form a silky and polished mid-palate. Long and even. Try after 2028.

The Poderi Luigi Einaudi 2020 Barolo Villero shows signs of the hot growing season with ripe aromas of blackcurrant, dried tobacco leaf, rusty nail and bouillon cube in silver foil. The wine shows nice complexity, and the tannins are young but ripe from a phenolic perspective. There is sweet fruit, but ultimately, the Villero requires more bottle age.

Youthful ruby red, the 2020 Barolo Villero is more lifted, spiced, and bright on the nose, with notes of menthol, pomegranate, blood orange zest, and clove spice. Medium-bodied, it’s spritely and well-balanced, with snappy lift and fine dusty tannins. It’s more citrus-toned on the palate, with good length that tapers away slowly, and it has more nervous energy. Of the wines in this vintage, this is going to be one with some aging potential and worth holding onto a couple years before cracking into it.